"I was studying political philosophy. That'll make anyone run," said Hugh Acheson, chef and co-owner of the two restaurants. Acheson said the philosophy coursework sent him fleeing from college and straight into his career as an award-winning chef.

For the past two years, Acheson was nominated by the James Beard Foundation for the Best Chef in the Southeast Award, the culinary equivalent of the Oscar. In 2007, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution named his Five and Ten the Best Restaurant of the Year.

Culinary magazine Bon Appetit has singled out Acheson and Five and Ten with articles on at least two occasions, and in 2002, Food & Wine magazine named Acheson as one of the 10 best chefs in the United States.

Acheson attributes his cooking skills to chefs such as Henri Burger and Gary Danko. While working as a sous chef with Danko in San Francisco, Acheson began planning to open his own restaurant in Athens. He already had lived in Athens and worked as chef and general manager at the Last Resort Grill. In 2000, he made the move back to Athens, and opened the Five and Ten. He opened The National last year.

In 2004, he and Ben Giacchino, sommelier (or a a wine steward) at Five and Ten, opened Gosford Wines, a wine retail shop.

About Acheson

Age: 36

Profession: Chef/restaurateur, owner of Five and Ten, The National and Gosford Wine.